Adjustable roof truss brace

Abstract

An adjustable roof truss brace for bracing a roof truss to a scaffold structure during a construction of a roof has an elongate body for extending between the scaffold structure and the roof truss and for supporting a roof truss in a substantially vertical position, the elongate body having a first end for positioning proximate the roof truss and a second end distal to the first end for disposing to the scaffold structure; a truss clamp for releasably coupling the roof truss brace to the roof truss, the truss clamp being disposed to the first end of the elongate body; and an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a distance between the truss clamp and the second end of the elongate body

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable roof truss brace for bracing a roof truss to a scaffold structure during a construction of a roof, the adjustable roof truss brace comprising:
 an elongate body for extending between the scaffold structure and the roof truss and for supporting a roof truss in a substantially vertical position, the elongate body including a first end for positioning proximate the roof truss and a second end distal to the first end for disposing to the scaffold structure;   a truss clamp for releasably coupling the roof truss brace to the roof truss, the truss clamp being disposed to the first end of the elongate body; and   an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a distance between the truss clamp and the second end of the elongate body.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the adjustment mechanism comprises an actuator configured to move the truss clamp with respect to the second end. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the longitudinal extent of the elongate body. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an alerting means indicating an extent of travel of the adjustment means. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the elongate body comprises a deployable portion for extending the elongate body between a compact configuration and an extended configuration. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the deployable portion is deployable to one of a plurality of discrete extended positions and in which the adjustable roof truss comprises a locking means for securing the deployable portion in one of the plurality of discrete extended positions 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 6 , in which the locking means comprises a locking pin and a plurality of locking apertures for receiving the locking pin, the locking apertures being disposed to the elongate body, each locking aperture corresponding to an extended position of the plurality of extended positions. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 5 , in which the truss clamp is disposed to the deployable portion. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the truss clamp is rotatable about a first axis disposed to the first end of the elongate body. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 9 , in which the truss clamp is rotatable about a second axis substantially orthogonal to the first axis. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 9 , in which one of a substantially U-shaped pivot arm and a substantially L-shaped pivot arm rotationally couples the truss clamp to the first end of the elongate body. 
     
     
         12 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a scaffold structure clamp pivotally mounted to the elongate body for releasably coupling the adjustable roof truss brace to the scaffold structure, the scaffold structure clamp being disposed towards the second end of the elongate body. 
     
     
         13 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 12 , in which the scaffold structure clamp is movable along the longitudinal length of the elongate body. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 12 , in which the scaffold structure clamp is removable from the elongate body. 
     
     
         15 . A method of bracing a roof truss during construction of a building, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing the adjustable roof truss brace as claimed in  claim 1 ;   disposing the second end of the elongate body to a scaffold structure proximate the building being constructed; and   adjusting the distance between the truss clamp and the second end using the adjustment mechanism;   coupling the truss clamp to a roof truss being installed on the building being constructed.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising the step of extending a deployable portion of the elongate body into one of a plurality of discrete extended positions. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 16 , in which the step of extending the deployable portion is performed prior to coupling the truss clamp to the roof truss. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , further comprising the step of levelling the roof truss to a substantially vertical position after the step of coupling the truss clamp. 
     
     
         19 . The method as claimed in  claim 18 , in which the step of levelling the roof truss comprises operating the adjustment mechanism to adjust the distance between the truss clamp and the second end. 
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising the step of coupling the second end of the elongate body to the scaffold structure using a scaffold structure clamp disposed to the second end of the elongate body.